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Reviews For: Comet GP-9 dual band base antenna

Category: Antennas: VHF/UHF+ Omnidirectional: verticals, mobile, etc

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Review Summary For : Comet GP-9 dual band base antenna
Reviews: 50MSRP: 200 about
Description:
Ultra High Gain Dual Bander for 146 & 446Mhz
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cometantenna.com/base.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00504.5
KF4HR Rating: 2021-02-01
Works well, nice quality. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used a GP-9N for years. Nice antenna.

KF4HR
W4MKC Rating: 2021-01-31
Gets it done Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently moved from the mountains to the rolling hills, and the jpole that I had wouldn't allow me to make it to a repeater up in the mountains. I missed my old buddies up there, so I decided to try the Gp-9. Wow! It makes the 34 mile trip easily. I also only need from 5-30 watts to hit any of the repeaters in Tn, and NC. I get full quieting reports, as a general rule.
It's mounted 18ft up with 9 ft coax run. It cost a bit, but to me it was well worth it.
K4SRF Rating: 2020-12-28
Definitely Makes A Difference Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I replaced a Comet GP-3 with the GP-9, not because the GP-3 wasn't working, in fact it worked perfectly. However, I wanted some more gain as I was finding myself on the fringes of some repeaters, both UHF and VHF.

I swapped out the GP-3 with the GP-9 and immediately noticed the difference. My feedline is LMR 400 and I have full power out with NO reflected current and an SWR of 1.0 - 1.1 across the entire 2 meter band. On the 70 centimeter band, I have full power out, reflected current is around .01 and SWR ranges from 1.0 to 1.2 across the entire band.

This antenna, in my book, if used with the proper feedline is well worth the money.
AB0R Rating: 2020-01-22
Generally impressed with Comet antennas Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is my third Comet antenna (SBB5, SBB15) but this is the first base model I have tried from Comet.

I bought this to replace a brand new Diamond X300N that I had to take down after only three weeks because the fiberglass broke near the base. While I was pretty happy with that antenna, I was really surprised how much better the GP9N was over the X300. To be fair, it's bigger and has more advertised gain, but the difference is notable. I can make contacts about 10 miles farther under similar conditions vs the X300.

I use an ICOM 5100 to drive the antenna and have it connected with about 60' of LMR400. SWR is just over 1.0:1 across the 2 meter band and is a little higher but still less than 1.3:1 over the 70cm band.

That is measured with my RigExpert right at the radio connection point.

I highly recommend the GP9(N)!
N7AY Rating: 2019-01-28
Has Work Well for Me Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Upgraded my GP-6 to a GP-9 about a year ago. I liked the GP-6 a lot - I was just needing a little more gain as I use simplex a lot. Noticed the improvement right off. Scratchy distant stations started consistently coming in much more readable. Several friends noticed and commented on my signal improvement. The GP-9 has been flawless so far. Have had one very strong wind storm and the antenna was hardly moving. Have even used it on my handheld... I can hit most repeaters in my area full quieting on 1W. Would recommend.
Only downside, would rather have a neutral color than white.
SAPPHIRE Rating: 2018-05-26
Good antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Excellent antenna.
Installed for about 6 years and always fully functional. The linear coils make it more efficient. Abs junctions are preferable to metal joints. Metal junctions can negatively interfere but minimal on antenna performance. Comet uses abs couplings. Diamond uses metal joints.
W4IOA Rating: 2017-12-31
Excellent antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought mine used about 9 years ago. Mounted it up about 15' and have zero complaints. This antenna and my tw-4000a with 25w reaches for miles both repeaters and simplex. Absolutely a fantastic antenna. Recently I moved cross country and donated this antenna to my club for a repeater. Now it's 90' high on a tower at 1300' level and the club loves the way it works. At my new home I bought a new GP5 because of this antenna.
KB2KOS Rating: 2017-09-06
gp9 Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
brought this antenna from ham radio outlet 7 month ago the antenna burn out. can just about hit the repeater 5 miles away ham radio outlet told me they cant help me, so I call the corporate they told me that they cant help me so never deal with ham radio outlet again or comet antenna joe kb2kos

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Earlier 0-star review posted by KB2KOS on 2017-08-04

call ham radio first they told me after 15 days they cant or wont help after spending 10,000 in the last 2 years. ok call comet and the sales there should not be dealing with the public he told me I need to climb my roof I cant climb due to a motorcycle, and then I need to take the antenna a part and solder all the cold solder joints wow needless to say I never spend one penny at ham radio outlet or comet antenna. ps wht I am write this revieu cant hit repeater 10 miles away stay away from this antenna joe kb2kos
VA7DH Rating: 2017-08-21
Good omni antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
A different viewpoint. An XYL I know was on a 2m net I was running and all she had was a little 5w Icom 91A hand held. Her signal was pretty low, hard to hear and in the noise. She ordered up a Comet GP9 antenna and her and her husband installed it at their house. Next net I had to ask her if she was talking from a mobile, there was that much difference. Since then they have installed a 50 watt mobile and are running it on the same antenna. Her signal blasts in to my place. I have had similar experience with others using the same antenna. The propagation is fairly flat from the QTH and that could be a problem if the site is high and the person being called is close and low, signal could possibly go right over top though I have not yet seen that happen. Great antenna when it's set up and working right.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by VA7DH on 2012-02-12

I read of good things about this antenna and have recommended it to a couple of other people. All of us work a weekly simplex net and one lady only had a hand held 2m radio. Once she got onto the GP-9 she sounded like she was on a mobile with 10 times the power. She now has a mobile on simplex net and everyone hears her clearly. It's an impressive antenna. We live in a wet area too and no problems with either antenna so far and they have been up several months for one and over a year for the other. We also live in an area with lots of mountains and hills so hard finding a good line of site heading. Nevertheless, the GP-9 performs outstandingly, probably better than a Yagi with a rotor for this application.
N4DJT Rating: 2016-12-22
great antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My GP-9 so far has worked perfectly.|
Its been sitting at 18 ft for 2 years and I can work any thing within 70 miles.
even worked ISS and LEO birds with it when they are low on the horizon.
can't wait to get it up on the tower.
Easy to assemble and has handled Tennessee storms without issues.